Taking The Next Step

Are you ready for the next step?

You've trained through conditions that any sane person would call extreme.

You are able to swim farther than most people walk in a week.

You've pushed to -- and beyond -- all your known limits.

Your friends, associates and family look at you with a mixture of awe, sorrow and compassion. When they talk about you they use words like focused, determined, crazed, obsessive, and disciplined.

You are the fastest, leanest, fittest and strongest person in your neighborhood, office or peer group -- yet somehow you still think you could be faster, leaner, fitter and stronger.

I have found that it is always the most mentally difficult sessions that yield the greatest benefits. Some time early this summer, I started to wonder if there was a wider lesson in this knowledge. Perhaps I could find a source of calm, of balance, through athletics. I started taking total rest days -- time for my body to fully recover. I (gasp!) skipped a few sessions when I was whipped. I constantly challenged myself to think outside the box and maintain flexibility.

I did the unthinkable, I moderated my training.

Something happened, I became really, really fast! My friends started to support my training and racing. As I backed off and was able to give more to the world -- the world returned my energy ten-fold. I learned new lessons about nutrition -- I recovered faster -- I became calmer. New opportunities started to arrive frequently and athletic success flowed effortlessly. Basically, the truer I became to myself the greater the gifts life gave me.

Hold on Gordo, I read your training logs and writing -- you are an animal -- what are you talking about?

OK, let me explain a little further. When I say moderate -- are you hearing "mediocre"? Are we so used to pushing that the only thing normal in our experience is the extreme?

What I am talking about is a total dedication to my path as athlete, writer, friend, coach, and poet. I am talking about being 100% true to what I think I must do. The world can accept me or reject me.

I'll always consider what you have to say but in the end I will do what feels right to me. I'm very unlikely to compromise for you. When I ignore what you think is best for me, I will do it full of love for you. I'll never choose the lesser option to make you happy but I will always be wishing you happiness.

When I am with you, writing to you, helping you -- you'll know that the only reason I am doing it is because I want to -- it is pure desire and I have no choice.

I got on a bit of an immoderate roll there! Ha ha ha!

The lesson for me has been that, in moderating my approach to training, I discovered that I had time to drop additional items into my life. As well, I found that these new items are consistent with what I've found to be my path.

What Hong Kong taught me about wealth, elite athletics has taught me about the pursuit of speed -- essential but meaningless. Read that again -- essential but meaningless.

The act of being true to one's calling (to wealth, to speed, to children, to family, to community, to climbing) is essential -- to deny one's calling leads to huge problems. In pursing this deep calling, I try to remember that it doesn't really matter. The achievement of the goal is meaningless -- what is important is for me to be heading towards it. My goals and I will always change -- I'll achieve them, find new ones and move on.

An Ironman, a Kona slot, winning an age-group is totally meaningless. It will not bring one iota of happiness -- things will NEVER bring happiness. There is no contentment to be found at the summit, at the finish line, or sitting beside you in a Mercedes -- it just isn't there.

Living every single day consistent with what we believe is our destiny will bring us fulfillment and contentment. In fact, I have found that it is a very quick path to a deep sense of joy. I would go as far as calling it a union with one's soul.

For me, all goals have proven to be false prophets. I have achieved everything that I have ever desired. Am I bragging? Am I honest? Am I aiming too low? Does that statement make you uncomfortable? Why?

Once achievement became a little less "desperate", reaching my goals ceased to define me. I know that their achievement will be meaningless and I am free to move towards them with an open mind. It is incredibly liberating and expands the limits of the possible.

Why is that?

Because when we realise that our goals are meaningless then we are able to relax enough to easily achieve them. In fact, they become extremely easy to attain. The world will deliver the results right to our door. Of course, we must be able to see when life taps us on the shoulder!

By "easy" I mean easily attainable. The impossible becomes probable. Wealth, athletic prowess, love, health -- all flow when you are true to your calling. All those items that you frequently "have on your mind" will melt away. You'll see that they are meaningless, you'll smile at your "old self" who used to get so worked up over minor details.

If you doubt me then look at the life of the happiest person that you know. Truly happy people are rare -- think about someone that you really, really enjoy spending time with. You don't have to be close to this person -- think about they way they live their life. I'm willing to bet they live their life exactly as they see fit. In fact, I bet that some people think that this individual is a bit selfish -- they are that true to themselves.

It might be a little scary to know a person that is true to himself or herself. You can't get any hooks in them. They come, they go -- you always want more of them, more of their energy, more of their life, more of their luck. Everything is just so damn easy for them and you want some of that!

Don't you see it! What do they have? Truth, honesty, integrity, love -- a total desire to be true to themselves. Life is so important that it is insanity to live in any other way. Who are we trying to help by denying ourselves? Why would we want to have anything to do with anyone or anything that doesn't bring us joy?

Many talk of duty, of community, of obligation... An old friend of mine says, the wise soul by never dealing with great things, gets great things done. Stick with the simple things and start with yourself.

It's not magic but it will seem that way.

It's so easy, so scary -- there will be great change in your life. You'll find that many people have a lot invested in your current life. When you start to break free you'll be tested time and time again. However, there will also be clear signs that you are doing the right thing. The secret is to be open to them!

So far, there appears to be only one true goal -- love yourself always, love all on your path and be true to yourself.

Am I ready for the next step?

gordo - 13 august 2001

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